pelvic fin

noun

Definition of pelvic fin

: one of the paired fins of a fish that are homologous with the hind limbs of a quadruped

Recent Examples of pelvic fin from the Web

Some have looked at coelacanths and sarcopterygians, or lungfish (the latter use their pelvic fins to move in a motion like walking).

— lorraine boissoneault, Smithsonian, "What a Walking Fish Can Teach Us About Human Evolution," 9 Feb. 2018
Typically, these pectoral and pelvic fins — which correspond to forelimbs and hindlimbs in land vertebrates — are small and largely used for balance and steering.

— steph yin, New York Times, "These Skates Are Made for Walking," 8 Feb. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pelvic fin.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.